Average speed indicator



Dec. 30, 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE ETAL 2,623,590

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR Filed July 7, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet l A T TOP/VET) Dec. 30, 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE ET AL 2,623,690

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR Filed July 7, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW A TTOR VEY Dec. 30, 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE ET AL 2,523,690

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 7, 1948 INVENTORJ E/V/ZE Mil/W05 GUI/R857?! A TTORNE) Dec. 30, 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE EI'AL 2,623,690

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR Filed July 7, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE ETAL 2,623,690

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 7, 1948 EM/lf MAP/0S 60017557655 INVENTORS CZAl/Df JACQUES ZADISMS MARIEGOURBt'Y/fif ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1952 E. M. GOURBEYRE EI'AL. 2,523,690

AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR Filed July 7, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS f'M/LE M/lF/US GOUIPBEYRE ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1952 AVERAGE SPEED INDICATOR .EmileMarius Gourbeyre and Claude Jacques L. M. Gourbeyre, Orleans, France Application .Iuly'i, 1948, Serial N 0. 37,358 In France January 20, 1948 7 Claims.

Various types of tachometers are already known which indicate visually the number of revolutions per minute, the number of meters per minute, the number of kilometersper hour, the-hours/revolutions and the like and which can be used on motor cars, rail vehicles, aircrafts, machine-tools, spinning-factory machines and the like.

Certain of these prior devices indicateby a direct reading on a graduated dial, any mean value at the moment of reading. However, these have been complicated and expensive.

The present invention has for its object to remedy the disadvantages of the prior constructions.

The present invention relates to a mean indicating apparatus, e. g. for indicating the speed of a; vehicle, which is characterized by two members whichmoves independently of each other but are juxtaposed and move relatively to one another, one of the members being controlled by a cumulative quantity such as the distance covered-and the-other member beingcontrolled by the time elapsed. The relative-spacing of both said movable members issuch that they indicate. visually at any moment the quotient of'both measured quantities, i-. e. the desired mean, e. g'. miles per; hour.

According to one embodiment of the invention, one: of the independent movable members comprises a graduated disc and. the other member comprises a concentric crown surrounding the disc and carrying a pointer or the like which is adapted to move' in front of the graduationson' thedisc, which makes it p'ossiblet readatany moment on the graduated disc the relative relationship of the-two independently movable-members, i. e. the desiredmean.

According to a feature of the invention each of the movable members is. driven by the time indicating mechanism or by the distance indicating mechanism through the medium of a cam which converts the movement transmitted by these mechanismsaccording. to a predetermined ratio, e. g. a logarithmic ratio, which makes it possible, more particularly, to reduce the amplitude of the displacements effected by the movable members.

According to' another'feature of the invention each movable member is driventhrough themedium of a change speedgear which effects automatically, after a predetermineddisplacement of the movablemembers, a modification of the reduction ratio for the movement transmitted to the movable members, which makes it possible to reduce the displacements of the movable members as well as the space required by the graduations or the like by means ofwhich the relative posi tions of the movable members are shown.

The inventionv also includes an embodiment wherein each movable member is driven in a single direction in a groove of a cam, on the one hand, and in a rectilinear slideway of theirame supporting the movable members, on the other hand.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanism used for driving the movable member which moves in response to the value of the. distance traveled is driven from a counter through the medium of a device making is possible to eliminate thecounting ofa predetermined initial quantity which makes is possible, more particularly, to obtain progressions according to logarithmic laws.

According to another feature of the invention the disc and the concentric crown of the two movable members are arranged on the front'face of a casing containing two mechanisms located intwo opposed angles of said casing, one for driving the dis-c and the other for driving the crown.

More specifically, the invention covers the hereinbelow described features and their various possible combinations.

A device embodying features of the invention is shown by way of example in the following drawings in which:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are an elevational view, an end view and a top plan view, respectively, of the mechanism driving the disc in response "to the value of the distance traveled.

Fig. 2A is a section on line 2a-2a of Fig. .2.

Figure 4 is an elevation on a larger scale showing the coupling and uncoupling means for the driving gears shown in Figs. 1', 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in'Fig. 4.

Figures 6, 7 andB are an elevational view an' end view and 'a top plan view,.respective1y', of the mechanism driving'the crown of one of the mov= able members in response to the value of the time elapsed.

Figure 9 is a general viewshowing the-apps, ratus as seen from the front facing the recording dial.

Figure 10 is an external view ofthe apparatus.

The indicator in accordance with the invention comprises two movable member's moving'with re-' spect to each other,the first depending on the distance traveled and the second depending on the time elapsed.

The movable member which moves in response to the value of the distance traveled comprises a disc I and its driving mechanism is shown on Figures 1 to 5. Disc l which is secured to a crown carrying five equidistant notches on its periphery is mounted loosely on a shaft 2. A crank 3 is also mounted freely on shaft 2 and carries a pawl 4 at its end. Pawl 4 is urged by a spring 3 which constantly applies the tooth of the pawl against the periphery of crown 5 and tends to cause it to engage the notches of the crown.

A second pawl I5 linked on the casing is maintained by a spring against the periphery of crown 5 and engages the notches of said crown at the same time as the preceding pawl and insures the maintenance of the disc in the desired position.

Furthermore, crank 3 comprises a longitudinal slideway I0. Crank 3 is urged at its end opposite pawl 4 by a drawspring I4 connected with the casing.

Mounted so as to move in a rectilinear slideway 8 carried by said casing behind the moving plane of crank 3 is a slide I secured to a cross axis 9 which projects on both sides of slideway 8.

The end of axis 9 on the side of disc I engages the longitudinal slideway I0 of crank 3 while the opposite end engages a suitably shaped groove provided in a cam plate I03. The outline of grove II is such that the displacement of disc I is effected under the action of the rotation of cam I33 according to a logarithmic scale.

Cam I03 is keyed on the end of a shaft I3 rotating in the casing and carrying a driving gear I2.

Driving gear I 2 engages a gear 23 keyed on one end of the general driving shaft 23 which is driven as will be presently explained.

The general driving shaft 28 carries five bevel pinions 2'I keyed 0n the shaft and corresponding to the five displacements of the disc, the pinions being capable of being alternately engaged as will be explained later on.

The bevel pinion 2'! which is nearest disc I engages a combined bevel pinion 24 loosely mounted on a secondary shaft 23 perpendicular to general shaft 28 and similarly rotatable in the casing.

Bevel pinion 24 is connected to a crown 25 provided with claws or teeth. A sleeve 23 slidably keyed on shaft 23 and carrying on the side of bevel gear 24 teeth corresponding to those of pinion 24 can thus, through longitudinal displacement in either direction, connect bevel pinion 24 with shaft 23 or free the pinion.

Furthermore, shaft 23 carries a pinion 22 with helical teeth engaging a Worm 2| rotating on an axis I04 perpendicular to axis 23 and carried in the casing. Axis I04 carries a small driving plate 2|! (Figure 2) at its end.

A nut I6 having an external cylindrical shape has a longitudinal fiat surface portion I61 and is screwed on a threaded rod I 82 which is connected to 'a'socket IS in which the flexible shaft IE1 is fastened, the flexible shaft I81 being connected with the moving vehicle in the usual manner to transmit the value of the distance traveled. The fiat surface portion I31 of the nut I6 is engaged by the resilient arresting finger I'I fastened to the instrument frame and the nut I6 is thus prevented from rotating. As shown in Fig. 2, nut I3 is coaxial with the worm 2| and the small plate 20 mounted on its end. Thus, when the cable I81 rotates, threaded rod I82 also rotates and nut I6 is moved upwardly in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) into engagement with plate 23 of the worm 2|. A friction coupling connection between the nut I6 and the plate 23 is then effected and continued rotation of the cable I81 is transmitted directly to the worm 2|, the force of the resilient finger I! being overcome to permit the nut I6 to rotate freely.

The other four bevel pinions 2T keyed on the general driving shaft engage combined bevel pinions 24 loosely mounted on perpendicular secondary shafts 23. Each shaft 23 carries a slidably keyed coupling sleeve 26 identical with the above described one.

But the second shaft 23 is driven from the first shaft through a gear |3I engaging a pinion I02 keyed on said first shaft.

The third shaft 23 is driven in the same manner from the second shaft and the fourth shaft is driven in the same manner from the third one.

Parallel with the general driving shaft 28, the casing carries a coupling shaft 30 driven at one end through a gear 44 carried by this shaft and engaging a gear 45 keyed on the above described shaft IS. The teeth number ratio of gears 43, 45 engaging each other are such that for a turn of shaft I3, i. e. of cam I03, the coupling shaft 33 rotates by a fifth of its circumference, i. e. 72 degrees.

Coupling shaft 30 carries opposite each above described sliding sleeve 26 a set of two fingers, viz. a finger 3| for coupling and a finger 32 for declutching; both fingers 3|, 32 of the same set are keyed on shaft 30 and displaced by '72 degrees from each other. Furthermore, each set of fingers 3|. 32 is shifted with respect to the preceding one by the same angle of '72 degrees.

The coupling device of each bevel pinion 24 is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 in elevation and in plan, respectively. This device comprises a push piece 33 slidably mounted in a support 33 fast with the casing. Push piece 33 is fast with a cross lug 40 provided with a hole through which an axis 35 passes the axis 35 being secured to support 34 at its ends.

slidably mounted on axis 35 is a cage 33 fast with an arm 3! which comes through its end to engage a groove of the corresponding coupling sleeve 26.

Two coil springs 38, 39 are fitted on axis 35 on both sides of lug 43 between lug 40 and the end Walls of cage 36.

Push piece 33 has a rounded head 331 opposite the finger 32 and a bearing surface 332 opposite the finger 3|. Push piece 33 is engaged along its bearing surface 332 by a tappet 4| which is pivotally connected at 42 to an extension 341 of support 33 and acted upon by spring as Which is also connected to support 34.

The above described mechanism which drives driving disc I in response to the distance traveled works as follows:

When, for example, the apparatus is mounted on a vehicle and the displacement by each onefifth of the circumference of the disc corresponds:

For the first fifth to a distance traveled of 10 to meters,

For the second fifth toa distance traveled of 100 to- 1000 meters,

For the third fifth to a distance traveled of 1 to 10 kilometers,

For the fourth fifth to a distance traveled of 10 to 100 kilometers, and

For the fifth to a distance traveled of 100 to 1 000 kilometers, the following operation will take place.

The special coupling sleeve formed by the above described cylindrical nut I6 will start the device after a number of revolutions of the wheels of the vehicle corresponding to a displacement of 10 meters.

During this period, socket I8, through which the flexible shaft is fastened, is rotated so that the cylindrical nut I6, maintained against rotation by engagement of its fiat surface against arresting finger I1, is displaced axially toward worm 2|.

When the end of cylindrical nut It comes in contact against the small driving plate 20 secured to worm 2| the flat surface of cylindrical nut I6 escapes from resilient arresting finger I! and cylindrical nut It then rotates with the socket I8 of the flexible shaft while driving the plate 20 by friction contact.

The thread of socket i8 is such that the number of revolutions of socket 8 which is necessary before the fiat surface of nut I6 escapes from arresting finger Il corresponds to the first 10 meters of the way traveled by the vehicle.

Worm 2I drives the general driving shaft through the medium of wheel 22 on shaft clutch 20 and bevel pinions 24, 21.

In turn, shaft 28 drives shaft I3 of cam I03 through the medium of spur gears 29 and I2. In turn, shaft I3 drives the coupling shaft 30 through the medium of pinions d5, 44.

When cam I03 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, slide I is in the upper part of the rectilinear slideway 8. In this position pawl A. engages a notch of crown 5 of disc I.

When cam I03 is thus rotated evenly through the above described device counterclockwise, as seen by an observer in front of disc I, axis of slide I then follows groove ll of the cam and drives slide 1 downward along the rectilinear slideway 8 of the casing.

The other end of axis 0 engaging the longitudinal slideway I9 of crank 3 will slide in this slideway while rotating crank 3 clockwise.

Crank 3 will drive disc I through the medium of pawl I, the nose of which engages the notch of crown 5.

After a complete turn of cam I03, pawl 4 will have rotated disc I by a fifth of a revolution; slide I will be in the lower part of the rectilinear slideway 8 and the end of axis 9 engaging groove I I will have reached the point of groove I I which is nearest the axis at one of the ends of the rectilinear part of groove I I.

At this moment, the opposed pawl I having engaged a notch of crown 5, crank 3 is raised with its pawl 4 under the action of sprin I4, slide I following the rectilinear slideway 8 upwardly, the end of axis 0 following the rectilinear part of groove II in the cam, which at this moment is parallel with the rectilinear slideway 8 of the casing.

When crank 3 has reached its upper position, pawl 4. engages the next notch of crown 5.

After this first revolution of cam I03, corresponding to one-fifth of one revolution of disc I, the speed of disc I is reduced in the ratio of the gear teeth (:1) through declutching of the first bevel pinion 2E and coupling of the second pinion 24.

This double operation is effected by the coupling finger 3| and the declutching finger 32 which are carried by shaft 30. After the first revolution of the cam I03, declutching finger 32 comes in contact with the rounded head 331 of the push piece 33 which it pushes back in the direction of the arrow is against the action of spring 38 which is thereby compressed. At the end of the stroke of push piece 33 (Fig. 4) the tappet E-I pivoting about its axis 42 under the action of spring 43 engages the bearing surface 332 of push piece 33 and push piece 33 is thus kept in its pushed back position with spring 38 under compression.

During this movement of push piece 33, cage 35 is shifted in the same direction while slidin on E5 and drives, through its arm 31, coupling sleeve 26 which is thus freed from bevel pinion 24. Then shaft 23 ceases to transmit its movement to the general driving shaft 28 through the medium of the first pairof bevel pinions 24, 27.

At the same time as'this declutching of the first pair 20, 21, the coupling of the second pair is effected, the second pair having been in the declutched position, i. e. sleeve 26 on shaft 23 was freed from bevel pinion 24, push piece 33 being retained through tappet 4 I.

This coupling of the second pair of bevel pinions 2%, 2'! is effected through coupling finger 3! of the second set of fingers which engages the second tappet ti and rocks the latter. The second push piece 33 actuated by the second spring 33 returns suddenly toward its coupled position while driving the second cage 36, the second arm and the second sleeve 26, the notches of which engage the corresponding notches of the second bevel pinion 2d.

The movement Of shaft 23 is thus transmitted to the general driving shaft 28 through the medium of pinion I02 of wheel it? of the second shaft 23, the second sleeve 26 and the second pair of "bevel pinions 2i, 2?.

After this new complete revolution of cam I03, the second bevel pinion 3 will be declutched and the movement of the first shaft 23 will be transmitted to the general driving shaft 28 through the medium of the third shaft 23 and of both sets of speed-reducing gears interposed between both shafts 23.

The shifting from pinion to pinion thus continues progressively. Owing to the speed-reducratio of the gear pairs such as m2, IOI interposed between two consecutive shafts 23, the successive cam revolutions correspond each to one-fifth of one revolution of the disc and to distances which are ten times longer for each revolution.

The first revolution will correspond to a travel of meters.

The second revolution will correspond to a travel of 900 meters.

The third revolution will correspond to a travel of 9,000 meters.

The fourth revolution will correspond to a travel of 90,000 meters.

The fifth revolution will correspond to a travel of 900,000 meters.

The means speed can thus be established, for example, for a distance of 900 kilometers.

It is possible, of course, by multiplying the notches of crown 5 and the sets of transmissions and declutching members, to make an apparatus for measuring greater distances.

The foregoing description has been concerned with the portion of the apparatus which is governed by the distance traveled.

Disc I driven in the above described manner moves in a reference crown 46 which is driven in terms of time according to the same law as that which governs the driving of the disc.

The crown 46 is actuated by a time dependent mechanism. This mechanism is shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

It comprises the same elements for the trans mission of movement and declutching as the previously described mechanism. These elements are designated with the same reference numbers as those of the preceding mechanism but with the sub mark I.

The mechanism shown on Figures 6, '7 and 8 is actuated by a clockwork of a known type, represented in chain dotted lines through its casing 50. The driving axis 105 projecting out of said casing carries a gear 49 engaging a gear 48 keyed on the first shaft 231.

Crank 31 carries, in this case, a pawl 41 urged by a spring 61 and having a nose which engages the periphery of a crown with five notches 51 secured to the reference crown 50 which is arranged around disc I in the same plane as said disc and carries a reference mark 37 in the form of a pointer projecting over the disc.

Reference crown 36 rotates around its own axis through the medium of external rollers HIT, the rotation axes of which are secured to the casing. The external edge of reference crown 45 engages a groove in these rollers.

In this mechanism, as in the preceding one, the speed-reducing ratio of gears such as H111 and I021 interposed between two consecutive shafts 231 is so that:

The first revolution of cam I031 corresponds to one-fifth of one revolution of reference crown 46 and to the time elapsed between 0.01 and 0.1 minute.

The second revolution to the time elapsed between 0.1 and 1 min.

The third revolution to the time elapsed between 1 and 10 min.

The fourth revolution to the time elapsed between 10 and 100 min.

The fifth revolution to the time elapsed between 100 and 1000 min.

Both above-described mechanisms, viz. the time-dependent mechanism and the distance controlled mechanism, are arranged in the casing of the apparatus as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings.

The mechanism driving disc i in relation to the distance traveled is arranged behind the disc below the horizontal median plane XX which passes through axis 2; thus, socket is of the driving flexible shaft extends downwardly.

The mechanism driving the reference crown 45 in relation to time is arranged, along with the clockwork 56, behind the plane of crown as above the horizontal median plane XX which passes through axis 2.

Disc l is, for example, graduated according to a. logarithmic division in mean speeds expressed in kilometers/hour.

Reference crown 45 carries the pointer 31 which projects in the direction of axis 2 above the graduations on disc I.

Figure 10 is an external view of the apparatus. A closure plate I08 secured to the casing leaves visible only the graduated disc I and the edge of crown 46 which carries pointer ll.

The graduated disc i and reference crown 38 are, as described, independent of each other and each is driven by a cam having a suitable profile which produces in the disc and the crown a rotation of one-fifth of one revolution for each rev- 'olution of the respective cams. The displacement of the disc and of the crown are effected from a common origin according to a logarithmic scale.

Since the displacement of disc I is proportional to the distance traveled and since that of the reference crown 46 is proportional to the time which has elapsed the relative position of disc I with respect to crown 46 is proportional to the quotient of the distance traveled by the time elapsed during the travel, i. e. to the mean speed at the moment under consideration. It is this relative position which is shown visually by the graduation of the disc which is read opposite the pointer of the crown.

The above described mean speed indicator makes it possible to insure numerous technical advantages and more particularly the device makes possible the direct reading of the desired means on disc I opposite pointer 41 of the reference crown. A calculation is no longer necessary.

For these reasons the device in accordance with the invention is an entirely mechanical one and requires little room and its operation is very reliable. It is suitable for numerous applications in various fields such as: motor cars, air and sea service, mechanics and the like.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for indicating an average value, comprising a first rotatable element, a first rotary cam having a logarithmically varying 0perative contour, first reduction gear driving means for efiecting continuous rotation of said cam about an axis as a function of an integrated quantity such as the distance covered by a moving body, a first change speed gear in said driving means for effecting a change in the reduction ratio of said driving means after eachrevolution of said cam, a unidirectional drive means for said first rotatable element connected to said cam for actuation thereby and disposed for rotating said first rotatable element a fraction of a revolution for each revolution of the cam, the rotation of said first element thus being a function of the logarithm of the integrated quantity such as the distance covered, a second separately rotatable element, a second cam having a logarithmic contour, second reduction gear driving means for continuously rotating said second cam as a function of time, a second change speed gear in said second driving means for effecting a change in the reduction ratio of said second driving means after each revolution of said second cam, a second unidirectional drive means connected to be driven by said second cam and disposed for rotating said second element a fraction of a revolution for each revolution of said second cam, the rotation of said second member thus being a function of the logarithm of time and the distance between said two elements being an indication of an average quantity such as speed.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first unidirectional drive means includes a crank lever, a cam follower mounted for movement on said lever and arranged to engage and follow the profile of said first cam, whereby movement of said lever is effected by rotation of said cam, a pawl carried by said lever for engaging and rotating said first rotatable element, means for effecting the return of said lever to its initial position after each revolution of said cam, and means for holding said first rotatable element during the return movement of said lever.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said first rotatable element comprises a disc having a crown provided with equidistant notches for engagement by said pawl.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including an automatic clutch mechanism driven by said first cam and disposed intermediate said first change speed gear and said first cam, said first change speed gear comprising a plurality of stages and said automatic clutch mechanism having portions associated with said respective stages.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said first change speed gear includes a plurality of successively arranged speed changing gear trains, a primary axle for transmitting driving power to said first cam, a plurality of secondary axles including one axle for each of said gear trains disposed at right angles to said primary axle, clutch means on each of said secondary axle for coupling the respective gear trains on said primary axle, a clutch controlled axle driven by said primary axle, a coupling and a decoupling control member for each of said clutch means carried by said control axle, said control members being disposed at successively diiTerent angles, whereby the respective clutch means are engaged thereby for control thereof at difierent rotary positions of said control axle.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, further comprising a control movement transmitting mechanism intermediate said coupling and said decoupling members, said mechanism comprising a push element disposed to engage the clutch 10 means on said secondary axles, and means for maintaining said push element in its decoupling position with respect to said clutch means after displacement thereof by said decoupling control element.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a drive shaft transmitting power from a distance measuring counter, and means for coupling said first means for effecting continuous rotation of said first cam to said shaft, said last-named coupling means having a threaded portion, a member mounted on said threaded portion having a fiat part, and a stop member engaging said fiat part for preventing rotation of said member during predetermined longitudinal displacement thereof with respect to said coupling means.

EMILE MARIUS GOURBEYRE. CLAUDE JACQUES L. M. GOURBEYRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 274,285 Great Britain July 21, 1927 340,013 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1930 620,336 France Jan. 17, 1927 674,857 France Oct. 28, 1929 744,298 France Jan. 21, 1933 

